1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates, generally, to apparatus for removing a bottle stopper, and specifically to apparatus for controlling the removal of a stopper used in bottling champagne or sparkling wines having internal pressures greater than ambient.
2. Description of the Background
The difficulty of removing a cork from a champagne bottle, as well as the difficulty of controlling the cork once it exits from the bottle, are both well known. It has been reported throughout the years, perhaps centuries, that emancipated champagne corks have flown through the air with such force as to cause an untold number of eye injuries to unsuspecting wine stewards.
The task of removing the cork or stopper, however, has baffled those skilled in this art. The prior art is typified by various schemes which call for a vertical lifting force to be applied to the cork, for example, such as is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,761,338 to Charles H. A. Hardy; U.S. Pat. No. 4,387,609 to Marvin F. Polsfuss; U.S. Pat. No. 4,519,277 to Clifford G. Raab; U.S. Pat. No. 4,437,360: and U.S. Pat. No. 4,442,735 to Allen Chance et al. Again, each of these prior art devices has concentrated upon the concept of applying a pulling force to the cork or stopper to remove it from the bottle. Pulling a cork in this manner can require a great deal of force.